Success

Don't be fooled by the fact that it's only a little 11 o'clock when I'm writing this; the date occurred and went well. She showed up on time, we had a great conversation for a couple hours while eating, then we headed over to see Casanova at The Charles. We saw it, liked the movie, walked around, and then ended the date well. All seemed good all around. I'm actually excited about asking her out again.

A few comments:

1. I can't believe I thought so much about what I was going to put on. I was thinking about khakis vs. jeans, shave vs. stubble, Axe vs. No Axe, when finally I just thought to myself, "Okay, Epiph, this is the day when you stop thinking so much." It worked.

2. I did end up wearing the Axe. Because of those commercials, you know.

3. I also shaved. All the way. Usually I leave some stubble. I hate being totally cleanly shaved. But I figured that it was a special occasion.

4. Joe Squared should become the destination of choice to meet before or after a movie at The Charles. What great pizza,a nd a nice laid back atmosphere. By the way, Joe's place was reviewed by City Paper.

5. She is extremely good looking. Like I feel a little like I'm fighting out of my weight class, as one of my friends used to say. But that's not going to stop me from calling her again in two days.

6. I was trying to think of my lasat date, and it actually wasn't that long ago - September 25. But that seems so long from now. And that was so *not* what I did tonight. That one was an almost random, internet-feuled hookup, or at least that's all it ever turned out to be (since the asshole didn't return subsequent e-mails or calls). Plus, since that was in Tyson's Corner, I had to sit back and be led around. Here, I could take more charge. I actually asked an attractive girl who I knew a bit socially out on my own. It felt a lot better.

7. All the fuss earlier in the week about movie choice was all for naught. Brokeback Mountain? She mentioned it again when we got together, but we missed the showing by a half hour. I don't think the Sarah Silverman movie was playing. So the choice was clear - Casanova - and made even more clear because we'd both been to Venice and it's shot on location there.